I think I remember mentioning this a long time ago on this or the IBS forum, but will offer it again A wonderful resource on climate for bulb growers is "Growing Bulbs" by Martyn Rix (Christopher Helm/Timber Press, 1986; paperback). It describes the climatic regimes of all the major regions of the world where bulbs are common, and also has chapters on the evolution and biology of bulbous plants. No bulb grower should be without it. Another resource on climate is a two-volume set that I happen to have (it is an expensive reference book) because I was the copyeditor on it "Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather," ed. by Stephen H. Schneider (Oxford University Press, 1996). It has separate entries on various regions of the world as well as hundreds of fascinating articles on everything from the physics of tornadoes to the history of meteorology, most of which are accessible to the intelligent nonspecialist (those that are not are flagged as "intended for readers at an advanced level"--reflecting at least in part my failure to understand them when I was editing them, the copyeditor being the test case as usual). It should be available in many libraries. Jane McGary Northwest Oregon